Moonrise Deferred
by Harrowinggrace
Summary: It didn't take Edward long to decide to come home from Denali after fleeing from Bella's scent. But what if his return to Forks was significantly delayed? How would Bella's life differ, and what relationships would form in his absence?
1. Chapter 1: A Different Beginning

A/N: This story leans heavily on information from the early chapters of both _Twilight_ and Ms. Meyer's unpublished draft, _Midnight Sun_. The first two paragraphs are directly from _Midnight Sun_.

Disclaimer: All characters are property of Stephenie Meyers. I didn't create them; I just like to play with them.

Chapter 1: A Different Beginning

**Edward**

_It wasn't getting any better. Six days had passed, six days I'd hidden here in the empty Denali wilderness, but I was no closer to freedom than I had been since the first moment that I'd caught her scent._

_When I stared up at the jeweled sky, it was as if there were an obstruction between my eyes and their beauty. The obstruction was a face, just an unremarkable human face, but I couldn't quite seem to banish it from my mind._

Here I was, in one of the most beautiful, untamed places in the States, and I wasn't seeing a thing. I couldn't enjoy the night sky, the brilliant stars, the miles upon miles of unbroken, glittering snow, one of the only sights that came close to the shining facets of my own cursed skin when struck by the rays of the sun. In the dark I was just pale. Pale as the dead, pale as a vampire...as the monster that I was.

This was absolutely ludicrous. For decades my control had been flawless. To have come so close to breaking down, to have thought as I did in that classroom...it was unacceptable. I was completely and utterly ashamed of myself. I had thought that escaping to Denali would help, that getting away from that pulse, that singular hot scent that had called to me as no other would lessen my desire for it. To my dismay the opposite had occurred. I could still smell it, feel the burning in my throat, all thanks to my damned perfect memory. I had always considered myself a monster, but I never felt it so acutely until she walked into that biology classroom, and I the feeling had not lessened since.

A quiet voice in my mind interrupted my brooding. I could hear her coming, just a few miles away now. She would be with me in moments. I didn't know if I was ready for what I had planned to say to her, but I had to try...I didn't know what else to do.

Tanya launched herself into the snowdrift next to me, a blatant attempt at humor. I was in no mood for humor whatsoever, but this would never work if I rebuffed her initial advances. I knew exactly what she wanted, and although I could never in good conscience give her everything she expected from the men who admired her, I was going to compromise myself just a bit in a last ditch attempt to regain my sanity.

Her head emerged from the snow she had buried herself in, a sly smile splitting her face. I fought to give her an answering grin. "Edward," she breathed, putting every bit of teasing excitement into my name that she could. Her thoughts raced seeing me smile back at her, hope flashing in her eyes as she contemplated what my reaction might mean. _Has he changed his mind? He knows what I want, but he's been so moody since he got here. I think this is the first time I've seen him smile._

"Tanya, I'm...glad...you came to find me. I've been...wanting to talk to you." I knew my voice wasn't what it should be, but I was trying. She didn't notice either my hesitation or the semi-pained look that I couldn't keep completely off of my face, latching on to the words instead.

"Glad? You're glad to see me?" She beamed, her thoughts racing through multiple scenarios, each one more lewd than the next. I couldn't stop myself from blanching visibly at her forward thoughts. This would never work if that was what she expected of me.

She noticed my face this time, immediately sobering. "Edward, I'm sorry. I just...well, you've barely spoken to me since you got here. You've been like the walking dead, no pun intended. You won't talk to us about what is bothering you, but you won't get out of this funk, either. This is the first time you've shown any interest in me whatsoever, I can't help but be a little excited. I'll try to tone it down." She gracefully folded her lithe body down next to me. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

I forced myself to really look at her. I tried to look objectively, as though I was just a man admiring a beautiful woman; she was beautiful, no doubt about it. Her strawberry blond hair cascaded down her back, almost silver in the moonlight. Her small face looked so fragile and pale, not at all like the nearly unbreakable creature that she was. The full, slightly pouty lips were perfectly shaped. Her amber eyes seemed to glow from the reflection of the moonlight off of the snow. _Absolutely exquisite_, I thought to myself. _If only I could feel something. Anything. Please God, if you still listen to the damned, let me feel something._

I cleared my throat, coming back to the question at hand. "I...uh...I'm sorry. For my attitude since I've been here. I've been...distracted due to some...issues back home. It's inexcusable, really. I don't know why you even want to be near me, I've been such a bear." I was babbling and I knew it. In that moment I longed for Emmett's ease with words, his joking nature, his ability to put anyone at ease. I would have traded my gift, my curse, for his easy-going nature in a heartbeat. I tried again. "What I mean is, I'm going to try to be better. And, if it's okay with you, and Kate, and Irina, I'd like to stay a bit longer." That last bit came out all in a rush. Not perfect, but it would do.

Tanya was obviously thrilled, again ignoring the tone of my voice in favor of the words she had been desperate to hear. "Oh, Edward, don't apologize," she practically gushed. "I wish I knew what has been bothering you, but regardless, I'm—we're—happy to have you, believe me." I knew better than anyone just how happy she was. She deliberately thought of more tame scenarios this time: the two of us cuddling in front of a fire; walking hand in hand, our skin blazing in the afternoon sun; a soft, almost chaste kiss. I pondered that last image, rolling it over again and again in my mind, trying to decide how I felt about the idea.

Tanya scooted closer to me, our bare arms brushing ever so lightly. I tried to focus on the sensation of her skin touching mine, and found it pleasant. I wasn't blown away by the contact, but pleasant was a start. I reached out and tentatively took her hand, taking a deep, unnecessary but cathartic breath before I could continue.

"I'd like to see what could develop between us. I had a bad experience back in Forks, and honestly, I'd like to forget about it." Visions of me and a faceless girl flashed through her head, me brokenhearted, the girl walking away. Such a cliché. Oh, if only she knew the truth.

Banishing her guesses from her mind and determining to allow me my privacy, she sat up a little straighter and gripped my hand in hers. "I'd like that too...but then, you knew that already." She had the grace to look a bit sheepish, and I thought she would have blushed if she had been able to. That stray thought reminded me of _her_ again, the flush of blood filling her cheeks, and I had to fight to keep the pool of venom collecting in my mouth from dribbling down my chin. I swallowed hard and closed my eyes, forcing myself to envision Tanya's golden eyes rather than the wide, deep brown ones that filled my thoughts.

"Will you run with me?" I asked, peering cautiously at her face.

She smiled, giving me that face-splitting grin again. "I'd love that. If you don't mind holding back a bit for me, I mean," she laughed. She had once challenged me to a race and learned her lesson the hard way when I left her far behind, staring at my heels.

I grinned at the memory, a real smile this time. "I think I could do that." I got up from the frozen ground and pulled on her hand, still held in mine. It was a small hand, but not as small as...no. Not again!

We started to run together, and I allowed myself to enjoy one of the most pleasurable parts of this life that had been thrust upon me. Far into the wilds of Alaska we ran, Tanya gleeful at being by my side, me trying desperately to run away from the thoughts that still plagued my mind despite the breathtakingly beautiful woman that strode by my side.

**Alice**

My brother. Oh, my _brother_. If he only knew...but how could he? I hadn't told him. I had been too preoccupied with the violence of his thoughts that day to look further ahead. This was something he had to work out on his own. I knew he was coming back, that this detour to Denali wasn't going to help him forget. He had decided to stay for now, decided to attempt something with Tanya, but it wouldn't last. No matter what decision he made regarding her it always ended the same: he would leave Alaska and come back to us eventually. It was just a matter of when.

"If you were human, I'd worry that those frown lines would stick, Darlin'."

A wave of pure happiness washed over my mind, soothing my irritation over my stupid-head sibling. I smiled, playfully punching the love of my life in the gut. He mockingly doubled over, a crooked grin/grimace on his face. "Jasper, cut it out! I'm fine. I don't need an emotional rescue." I cuddled into him as he straightened, breathing in his scent. No matter how much time passed I never got tired of the smell of him. I lifted my face for a kiss, and he immediately obliged.

"That's better. But why the long face? You did say that everything would work out and Edward would be back; did something change?" Jasper looked concerned at the thought, and I was reminded once again that I wasn't the only family member affected by our prodigal brother's absence.

"No, no change. He's up there trying to make himself woo Tanya, and not doing terribly well at it," I sighed, allowing disgust I felt to fill my face. "Honestly, the way that girl throws herself at him you would think it'd be easy, but nooooo, Eddie has to make everything soooooo difficult." I rolled my eyes.

Jazz laughed, then sobered almost instantly. "But he is coming back, right? Do you know when yet?" The worry on his face was so adorable I had to fight to keep myself from throwing him down on the dining room table. Feeling the lust rolling off of me he grinned, holding my arms at my side before I could take action.

"No way, not yet. Not until you tell me everything you've seen lately." Damn it. I sighed dramatically, putting on my best girly-pout face.

"Puh-lease? It's nothing I haven't told you all already! He's going to try to care for Tanya, eventually fail miserably, and then decide to come home and attempt to deal with his Bella problem." With lightning fast quickness Jasper let go of one of my arms and began tickling my side. "I swear! That's all I know! Please, Jazz, no! Please!"

I dissolved in giggles, unable to get another word out. I collapsed onto the floor and Jasper followed me down, getting in a few more pokes before pulling me close to him. "So what do we do while we wait for him to come to his senses?" He looked at me earnestly.

I paused before answering. Was I ready to tell him my plan? Yes, it was time. I looked into his eyes, watching them slowly blacken as I saw a future image of what his plans for our evening involved. I momentarily allowed the image to shift to one I had seen earlier that day, one that had both surprised and excited me. Smiling, I gazed up at him and answered.

"I'm going to make a new friend."

Apparently his lust had overwhelmed his desire to know what I had seen, and as his lips pressed against mine I forgot as well.

**Bella**

_What is wrong with me?_ I huffed as I paced the small corridor of space between my bed and the wall. It was 2 AM and I had long since abandoned any hope of falling asleep. I couldn't focus, not even on the now discarded copy of _Wuthering Heights_ that lay on my bed. These sleepless nights were getting old, but I didn't know how to overcome my insomnia. I had tried everything: warm milk, chamomile tea, counting sheep, reciting my times tables, even some weird relaxation CD that Renee had been into years ago. Nothing helped. Nothing changed. I just lay awake and thought.

Thought might not be the right word...obsessed was more like it. How could two brief encounters, no more than an hour of actual time, create such chaos in my life? For a moment I stopped trying to avoid the thoughts and allowed myself to remember him.

Edward Cullen, the bane of my existence. I had never seen a look of such hatred directed toward me. What had I done? Had I offended him in some unknown way? Was he philosophically opposed to klutzes? I leaned against my door, lightly banging my forehead against it. It was useless; I had been running the same questions over in my head for the past six days and was no closer to answers than I had been that day in biology.

Why did I care so much? So what if some guy didn't like me. I had a whole school full of guys following me around, much to my dismay. But...I was lying to myself. I knew exactly why I was bothered by Edward's immediate rejection of me. It was because, of all the boys I had met since coming to Forks, he was the only one who had even remotely interested me. I had been intrigued from the moment I saw him walking into the lunchroom with his family. And now it seemed I would never get answers to anything; Edward had not returned to school since the day I met him.

The paranoid part of my brain couldn't help but blame myself. He hated me, I'd driven him away. The practical part told me I was being ridiculous. The guy knew nothing about me, had practically no interaction with me whatsoever, and certainly had a life outside of school that had probably taken him away for an extended time. But no matter how often I told myself that, I couldn't stop feeling like there was something more, something I should know.

I sighed heavily and flopped back onto my bed once again, pulling _Wuthering Heights_ out from under my legs and tossing it onto the chair in the corner of the room. It was a good thing I had read it before, because there was no way I was getting through it in my current mental state. I forced my eyes closed. If I didn't get some modicum of sleep I'd never make it through the next day.

Maybe running things over in my mind yet again finally bored my conscious mind to death, because I fell asleep within moments.

* * *

The alarm went off hours before I was ready to get up, and dragging my exhausted butt out of bed proved more difficult than usual. After a quick shower (cold, to try and shock my system into alertness) I trudged down the stairs, not at all prepared to face yet another day at Forks High.

Charlie glanced up at me from his bowl of cereal. "Morning, Bells." His eyes lingered on my face longer than usual, an unfamiliar look of concern crossing his features. "Are you sleeping alright? The bags under your eyes are huge."

I managed a small smile. I wasn't used to having to make excuses to Charlie; he was usually so wonderfully clueless. "I'm fine, just couldn't fall asleep last night. I used the time to do some reading for school."

That seemed to please him. "Well, alright. Just make sure you turn in early tonight." He got up, putting his bowl in the sink, and tossed his jacket on over his uniform. "I'll be late tonight, don't hold dinner." Charlie nodded at me, looked like he wanted to say more, and then a vaguely uncomfortable look crossed his face before he turned and walked out of the front door.

Well, that was odd. Concerned, slightly observant Charlie. I'd have to watch myself if I didn't want to explain to him the reason for my sleepless nights. I would have had to earlier if he didn't sleep like the dead.

I decided to forgo breakfast and jumped into my truck, wanting to get to school before everyone started pulling into the parking lot for the day. It seemed like the parking lot was where things always got uncomfortable for me. Everything happened in the morning before school. People gathered around their cars talking about their previous evening or weekend, talked about assignments and homework, and made plans. It also was everyone's favorite place to ambush me with invitations to movies, dinner, study sessions, whatever. After the first few days of it I started arriving earlier, before anyone else other than the teachers, and would hide in the library with my books until just before the first bell.

The student parking lot was abandoned except for one other car when I pulled in, so I figured I was safe. I jumped out of my truck, slammed the door shut, and promptly dropped my keys in a puddle next to my tire. "Fantastic, just great," I mumbled to myself as I retrieved them, wiping them on my coat. As I straightened, I came eye to eye with none other than Alice Cullen, and practically jumped out of my own skin.

"Hi! I'm Alice." Her outgoing and perky demeanor did nothing to calm my heart, which was currently thudding like mad in my chest. I fumbled to get my keys into my book bag and push my hair out of my face, trying to give myself a moment to collect my thoughts. I was so flustered I could barely think, let alone speak.

"Um, hi." _Smooth, Bella, smooth._

The tiny girl grinned at me, and I couldn't help but notice how absolutely adorable she was with her pixie haircut and immaculate clothes. I felt like a total schlep standing next to her.

"I was hoping to get a chance to introduce myself," she continued, barely allowing me to finish my stuttered greeting. "You're always so surrounded that I haven't had the chance." She looked almost pouty, and while on most girls it would have looked contrived, on Alice it was just cute. "Anyway, my siblings and I happened to get here early and saw you pull in, so I thought this was the perfect opportunity. It's Bella, right?"

I glanced over at the other car in the lot to see Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper leaning against it. The car had barely registered to me when I pulled in, so I hadn't noticed it still had people in it. Emmett grinned and waved at me as he saw me look over at them. Rosalie was saying something quietly to him, and didn't look happy. Jasper...well, Jasper jut looked...intense. There was no other word for it. I turned back to Alice quickly. My mind was finally catching up with the situation, and I wasn't going to waste another minute.

"Don't you have another brother?" I tried to sound nonchalant, but I couldn't hide the slight eagerness that my words held.

Alice surprised me by breaking into an enormous smile. "Why yes, we do. Edward is...away for a while, visiting some friends. It's sort of...an exchange program, I guess."

I wondered at her hesitation, but filed it away to think about later. This meant he wasn't gone because of me, right?

Alice had been talking while I processed. "...and I thought you might want to have lunch with us today. I'd like to get to know you better, you can tell me about Phoenix."

Lunch? She wanted to have lunch with me? But Jessica had said...whatever. "Um, that sounds great, Alice. Lunch sounds great." Ugh, I simply was not capable of playing anything cool.

She graced me with that huge smile once again, linking arms with me and pulling me toward the school. "Fantastic, it's a date! Oh, I'm so excited. By the way, have you thought about adding some more pieces to your wardrobe? I know the most fantastic shop in Port Angeles..."

I stopped listening as we passed the Cullen's car, uncomfortable as I noticed all three of Alice's siblings watching us. Emmett was still smiling, but neither Rosalie nor Jasper looked pleased. I quickly turned back to Alice, catching the tail end of a sentence.

"...and oh, I just know we are going to be such good friends!"

Chapter End Note:

Special thanks to the awesome content1 for her willingness to help out as my beta despite her own writing and a very, very busy life! Her amazing post-BD story Harvest Moon was my inspiration for attempting to write fan fiction.

Please review! This is my first attempt at Twilight fan fiction, I'd love to know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2: Lunch

A/N: Thank for the warm reception to my first chapter! More people read/reviewed/favorited/followed my little beginning than I expected. I hope you all enjoy the second chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Disclaimer: All characters are property of Stephenie Meyers. I didn't create them; I just like to play with them.

Chapter 2: Lunch

**Rosalie**

It took every fiber of self control I possessed not to attack Alice that morning. I watched her giddily bound through the halls of our little high school like an _actual_ schoolgirl rather than the decades-old vampire she was, and I literally wanted to strangle her perfect little neck. Then I reconsidered, remembering that she didn't need to breathe and maybe decapitating her would be the better option just to get that self-satisfied, all knowing look off of her face.

What was she thinking, inviting that tiny waif of a girl to eat lunch with us? She had been so vague about everything, just saying that she "knew" what was going on, and to leave everything to her. She claimed that Edward was going to come back, and then proceeded to make friends with the very thing that drove him away. The girl was batty.

I was so sick of this…this…_game_ that Alice played. She thought that just because she could see the future it gave her carte blanche to mess around in it. Why couldn't she just leave it alone?

I stalked down the hallway following Alice and Jasper toward the lunchroom. Emmett trailed a few steps behind me. I think he was avoiding talking to me; he had been the unfortunate recipient of my outraged ranting after our family meeting when Alice had explained her "plan" to the rest of us last night.

"It's simple," she had told us all as we gathered around our massive dining room table. "Edward _will_ come back, and somehow Bella Swan _will_ be involved in his life. I don't know how, or even when at this point, the details are a little hazy…too many decisions not made yet. But it _will_ happen, and I want to help it along a bit," she explained with a smug smile.

There had been more, but I had been lost in a haze of anger. I had vehemently objected, citing reason after logical reason why it was a terrible idea to get involved. How were we supposed to insinuate her into our lives without risking our secret, and as such, her life? How would Edward feel when he found out that we had been fraternizing behind his back with the very reason he had left us? And finally, and most importantly, wouldn't we all be better served by cutting her out rather than inviting her in? Edward had almost KILLED the girl last time, and I swear if she hurt him in any way I'd kill her myself and take the option away from him.

We all wanted Edward to be happy. I'd be a complete imbecile if I didn't notice how miserable he was all the time, and he didn't even know it. I'd hoped for so long that something would work out between him and Tanya, or even Kate or Irina, but Alice had effectively taken that option away. But this girl…this girl was human, and I knew he would never consider turning her. I didn't blame him for that in the slightest; I wouldn't wish this life on anyone. So how on earth could this child be a part of his life without hurting him? She would inevitably break his heart, and that was not an option. Not for _my_ brother. Not if I had any say in the matter.

Alice had listened to me with her head tilted to one side, and when I had run out of breath she uttered one sentence: "She will matter to him." That was it, and it was enough for the rest of them. I was outvoted. The whole damn wimpy, romantic lot of them was willing to jeopardize Edward's safety, his sanity, his control, and all of our places in this town on the possibility that some puny, fragile human girl could possibly mean something to him.

There were oh, so many ways this could all go terribly wrong, and when it did, would any of us be left to pick up the pieces?

**Emmett**

Good God, my girl was _sexy_ when she was pissed off about something. Watching her stalk down the hall after Alice had me all hot and bothered. Not that it took all that much to get me hot and bothered, Rosie could do that by merely crooking a finger at me, but still. In those tight jeans and heeled boots she seriously had my blood pumping to all the right places, if you know what I mean. Mmhmm, I couldn't wait to peel them off her tight ass later…

From a few feet ahead of Rose, Jasper shot a withering glance over his shoulder at me. Aw, damn. Dude always got pissy when my mind went dirty during school hours. It's so totally not fair, if you ask me. A guy should be allowed to fantasize about his girl to get through the tedium of high school if he wants to…and we've all been to high school enough times that it seriously is tedium. It's not my fault that Jasper's all in-tune to everyone's emotions.

I sighed heavily and tried to think about something other than Rose's _ass_ets. Okay…this Bella chick. Right. She didn't seem like much, honestly. Little slip of a thing to be causing so much trouble. I could see where Rose was coming from…she could make some waves in the little life we had built here in Forks. If we played our cards right we might be able to squeeze a few more years out of the awesome house here, before people starting noticing that none of us looked any older. This crap with Isabella Swan could screw all that up. But then again…

I knew Rosalie was worried about Edward, but couldn't she see it from the other side? I mean, my bro just wasn't happy. Like, ever. He just kind of…existed with us. Sometimes I would catch him looking at one of us couples, and it was impossible to ignore the longing in his eyes. And while it would be totally radical if he mated with Tanya or one of her sisters, according to Alice that just wasn't going to happen. Without them, who was there other than humans? Edward wouldn't go off with a vamp that killed humans for food. So do we just ignore our miserable brother, and pretend he isn't the only one alone?

Of course I couldn't tell any of this to Rosie, at least not yet. But the family had voted and we all had to go along with Alice's plan for now, so I could help out without pissing my girl off too much.

I hoped so, at least. She had a tendency to shut me out when she was pissed off at me, and Lord knows I wanted to be _in_ and not _out_ right now…

Jasper glared at me again, and I laughed under my breath.

**Jasper**

I thought he had shut it down, but my Neanderthal of a brother just couldn't keep his head clean for more than five seconds. Not that I could really blame him, I could never keep my eyes off of Alice, but Emmett didn't have to feel my lust rolling through his head in addition to his own. It was terribly distracting, not to mention disconcerting since for all intents and purposes Emmett was fixing his attentions on my sister. You'd think I would be used to it by now, but it was still unnerving.

I tried to focus on the task ahead of us. My tiny pixie girl was convinced that this course of action, befriending Isabella, was the right way to go, and I would support her 100%. Much like Rosalie, however, I had my reservations. Alice was basing her decision on visions that she was having now…what if things changed? What if Edward made a decision that hadn't crossed his mind at all yet and it suddenly became important to keep Bella away from him?

The strategist in me was furiously thinking, trying to make plans to cover every contingency. However when it came down to it, if everything fell apart there was only one answer: we'd need to leave Forks years earlier than we had originally anticipated. And while I knew Carlisle and Esme would do anything for their wayward son, that would be hard on all of us. Starting over was never easy.

Glancing down at my fingers twined together with my love's I knew I wouldn't voice any of these concerns to her. She was just so happy and excited. She truly believed that this was the right decision for all of us. Although she didn't remember her old life I believe she must have been supremely social; I think she missed being able to make connections with others outside of the family. The prospect of a new friend made her positively giddy, and as we approached the doors to the cafeteria she got even more bouncy, almost dancing into the large room. I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen my girl this hyper. Believe me, that was saying something.

_This should be interesting._

**Alice**

_It's time, it's time! BellaBellaBella! Oh, I can't wait GAH! Time to sit, where is she? Gotta get food, pretend to eat, back to the table, BellaBella she's here BELLA!_

**Bella**

I walked into the cafeteria a little apprehensively, wondering if Alice had been serious about wanting to get to know me better. I was intrigued by her interest in me, especially since as she had walked me to the library before school that morning her sister and brothers had been less than enthusiastic about my presence. It was so odd. Rosalie had barely looked at me, and the few times I caught her eye she seemed to be staring daggers through my skull. Emmett had alternated between glaring at me and throwing me sheepish grins, and Jasper…well, Jasper had just looked worried about something… and maybe a little constipated.

I forced myself not to look around the room as I stood in line to get my food. I grabbed a banana and a bottle of lemonade, not sure I'd even be able to stomach that. Why was I so nervous? It was just lunch, and they were just people. Right?

As I finished paying for my food I finally raised my eyes to glance around the cafeteria. To my right I saw my chair between Mike and Jessica at what had become my "usual" table over the past week and quickly averted my gaze before I got sucked in by Jess and her never-ending stream of gossip. Then I looked to the other side of the large room and saw _their_ table with both Alice and Jasper already seated. A few feet behind them Rosalie and Emmett were in a corner engaged in heated debate. Alice frantically waved me over and I slowly made my way towards them, not sure if I was excited or nervous.

"Bella! You came!" Alice practically gushed as I took the seat next to her. "I'm soooooo excited to see you. How was your morning? Is that all you're going to eat? Tell me about Arizona and your mom!"

My eyes widened with each question, not sure how to respond. Unexpectedly, Jasper came to my rescue. "Darlin', give the girl a chance to settle. Hi, Isabella." He pronounced everything slowly and carefully, as if he was weighing each word.

I swallowed, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "Hi, Jasper, Alice. Please, it's Bella, not Isabella. And my morning was…fine, I guess. Thanks for asking me to come sit with you guys…its, um, nice to spend time with new people." _There we go, not too bad,_ I thought to myself. _At least I'm capable of not being a complete spaz all the time. _

"Oh, of course!" Alice gushed. "I've been looking forward to this all morning, right Jazz?" Jasper smiled at her indulgently and put an arm around her shoulder. They acted like an old married couple, but looked like cover models for Vogue. Weird.

Alice launched into a story about what the teacher was wearing in her second period AP English class, and I was happy to have a minute to get my bearings. Without turning around I could literally feel the eyes staring at my back from my other lunch table. I cringed as I thought about the grilling I would get from Jessica during Trig tomorrow morning…if I was lucky. If I wasn't, she'd corner me sometime before I escaped the parking lot this afternoon. And while Mike wouldn't be quite as nosey as Jessica, I would be kidding myself if I thought he wouldn't be throwing pointed remarks at me during Bio and gym.

Rosalie and Emmett seemed to have finished their discussion and had settled at a nearby empty table, backs to us. Apparently only Alice was in the mood to be friendly today. I couldn't complain; it was bad enough feeling like the Plain Jane next to just two of them, let alone all four.

"…and those shoes were such obvious knock-offs, and not well made at all," Alice ended with a flourish of her hand, which was now brandishing the pen she had used to sketch a pair of nondescript-looking shoes on the back of a napkin from her tray.

I smiled weakly at her. "Honestly, Alice, I'm not really up to date on current fashion trends."

She grinned indulgently at me, looking so much like a mother hen it was uncanny. "I know, it's okay. We'll work on that. Now, tell me about you!"

We spent the next half hour doing Bella Q & A, and by the time the bell rang signaling the end of lunch I was exhausted—and I still had to face Jessica and all of her questions.

Alice linked arms with me as we exited the cafeteria. "Oh, Bella, this was so fun! Can we get together sometime this week? I'd love to meet your dad, he sounds so cool!"

I looked at her, a little startled. I really didn't think I'd been all that interesting, why would she want to spend more time with me? "Uh, sure, Alice. That sounds great. We'll make plans."

She extracted her arm from mine and gave me a quick peck on the cheek before grabbing Jasper's hand and bounding down the hall to her next class. Feeling overwhelmed I trudged in the opposite direction, knowing it was time to face the music with the rest of my friends.

**Alice**

"That went well! Don't you think it went well, Jazzy? Oh, she would be just so adorable if we could get her out of those rags she walks around in. I like her, and I can see what Edward is going to see in her. She's smart, and funny, and you can tell she doesn't know it. Oh, this is going even better than I had planned!" I was seriously jazzed, no pun intended. I had learned some new things about Bella, and she had agreed to get together with me this weekend. We'd be like sisters before I knew it, and when Eddie finally came home, I'd be all ready to play the matchmaker. Perfection!

It would have been nice if my other two siblings had deigned to join us, but I suppose that was just asking too much from Princess Rose. And of course, if he wanted to stay a happy boy, Emmett had to follow Her Majesty wherever she went. But I refused to let that get me down. They'd come around once they saw how happy Bella could make Edward. It was going to be fantastic.

"Alice, slow down, love. Give the girl a chance to get to know us. We're a lot to take in, you know. And yes, she is smart…doesn't that worry you at all? That she might, you know, figure some things out as she gets to know us better?" Jasper looked so sweet with his brows knitted together and his eyes all concerned. He even had the cute little downturn to his lips, not quite a frown but almost, that I loved so much. I reached up on tiptoes to kiss it away.

"Jazz, it'll be fine. I'll see anything she figures out ahead of time, and we'll be able to head her off. That is, unless we want her to know!" Jasper persisted in deepening the frown, and I waved my hands at him. "Oh, stop it. We don't know what's going to happen." _At least, you don't. I know just a bit more…_ "For now, I just want to be her friend. Okay?" My boy nodded, and I raised our clasped hands high in the air so that I could pirouette under his arm. He kissed me full on the mouth as I ended my spin, and I threw myself into his arms for a brief moment before ushering us off to our next class.

It had been a good day, and the week would get even better, I could see it.

**Edward**

The night hadn't been terrible. Tanya and I had run for hours, occasionally stopping to roll around in the snow. I tried to let my mind go and just have fun, recalling hazy memories of snow fights in the back yard with my father when I was a boy. Chicago had seen a lot of snow, so there were enough memories that they penetrated the fog my change had cast over them.

I surprised myself by actually enjoying Tanya's company. She had been true to her word; there were no more erotic fantasies starring the two of us floating into my mind. She kept her thoughts on lighter things, mostly involving our immediate surroundings and the absolutely breathtaking scenery around us. I found that the combination of the crisp, cool air, ever changing scenery, and speed as we ran actually made my mind almost forget my problems back in Forks. It was immensely refreshing to have a few hours peace from the guilt and self-doubt I'd been experiencing since leaving home.

We ranged far from the Denali house and cabins, and by the time we returned it was well past dawn. Tanya surprised me again by thanking me for a fun evening and kissing me on the cheek before going home to her own cabin in the large Denali compound. _This might actually work_, I thought to myself as I watched her disappear inside the dark doorway. _I could get used to spending time with this woman, and in time…in time, maybe…_

I didn't finish the thought, turning instead to one of the guest cabins that I was occupying at the far end of the large estate. I hadn't seen Eleazar, Carmen, Irina, or Kate when we ran back inside, and I opened my mind just a bit to locate all four of them at various activities in the big house that Carmen and Eleazar lived in. _Perfect_, I thought to myself as I grabbed a pair of swim trunks and a towel from a dresser. I changed in an instant and before a minute had passed I was lounging in the bubbling water of a natural stone Jacuzzi next to the woods that bordered the property.

The morning sun shone brightly off my skin, shooting reflected light in a circle all around me. I closed my eyes and relaxed into the warmth of the water, enjoying the quiet. This was the closest I've been to content in a week. I blocked out all thoughts of human girls, of roaring blood, of disappointed family members, and just existed in the water. I laid there for hours in an almost trance-like state thinking of nothing and no one. At some point during my reverie Tanya joined me in the water but she kept quiet, sensing my need to be still. She simply slipped into the water, relaxed into the stone bench across from me, and joined me in my silent contemplation.

When I finally opened my eyes a few hours later I felt more relaxed than I had in decades. The best thing about staying with the Denali clan was that as much as I cared for them and valued their friendship, I didn't feel the same sense of responsibility to them that I did to my family back in Forks. It was oddly freeing, not worrying about what everyone else was thinking and feeling.

I looked across at Tanya, reclining still as a statue with her eyes still shut. _She really is breathtakingly beautiful,_ I thought to myself as I moved closer to her. The corner of her eye twitched as I approached her and I knew she could sense my body drawing near to hers, but she kept her eyes shut. I allowed myself to settle in next to her, the line of our bodies melding into one another as I slipped one arm around her shoulders. A soft purr sounded from her chest as she snuggled into me. This was a new sensation; I rarely let myself become physically close to anyone, let alone purposefully draw someone into my body. I pressed a kiss to her upturned forehead and savored the feel of her skin against my lips. The water had warmed her skin to almost-human temperatures, and my body stiffened almost imperceptibly as I briefly imagined a different face snuggling into my cold, hard chest.

_No, no, NO!_ I inwardly groaned and fought to force my thoughts back to the beautiful woman in my arms rather than…her. I tightened my arm around Tanya's shoulders and stroked her strawberry blond hair with my free hand…and my mind turned it to brunette. Her lids fluttered open and she gazed at me with amber eyes, but all I could see was chocolate brown. Her pale marble cheeks turned flush as my memory imposed Bella's face onto hers. Without thinking I lowered my face, softly brushing lips that I remembered perfectly despite the mere hour that I had spent with her that day in class.

Tanya moaned and I was rocked back to the present. I pulled away abruptly, feeling mildly disoriented. "Tanya…I…I can't…" I stammered, knowing my eyes were going a bit wild in my confusion. Before I could make even more of a fool of myself I leapt from the water and sprinted into the forest, feeling the water quickly freeze to my skin and then break off as I ran. I barely heard her strangled cry of my name before I was gone.

What? What was that? When had my bloodlust turned to something…different? I still remembered the scent, the tantalizing, almost irresistible smell of her blood, but it was all mixed up with her soft voice, her deep, rich eyes, her small hands…where was this coming from?

I ran and ran, wishing my limitless strength would fail me so that my body would collapse with fatigue and provide me a few hours of unconscious oblivion, but I knew that was impossible. I couldn't deal with this.

Seducing Tanya wasn't difficult, but convincing myself that I _should_ seduce her was proving harder than I had initially anticipated. After hours of running I finally turned to return to Denali, still with no idea how I was supposed to deal with the mess I had gotten myself into.

Chapter End Note:

Again, special thanks to my beta, content1. Her interest in my writing has made this fun!


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